Firing a head college football coach is never as simple a task as one might think. While it certainly dispels a lot of the bad energy clouding a season, as seen with UCLA’s firing of DeShaun Foster earlier this season, it can often bring its own new problems.
Following Penn State’s dismissal of 12-year coach James Franklin, a swath of recruits committed to the Nittany Lions have announced their decommitment. While many players make a decision based on the school and other static factors, a large number of recruits commit to a program based on who will be coaching them.
Penn State Adds to Woes, Loses Incoming Recruits After James Franklin Firing
On Sunday, October 12, it was reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel that Penn State had fired James Franklin, who has been with the program for over a decade. While he had good on-field success, it was often on the losing end of important games and ranked matchups.
In the wake of this firing, several incoming players have announced their decommitment from the Nittany Lions. It started with five-star 2027 RB Kemon Spell, who is the top running back in his class across all recruiting websites, as reported by Hawes Fawcett of On3.
BREAKING: Five-Star RB Kemon Spell has Decommitted from Penn State, he tells me for @rivals
He’s ranked as the No. 1 RB in the 2027 Class on all websiteshttps://t.co/bSeLYeRfyb pic.twitter.com/TC9hCC7Vov
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) October 12, 2025
Spell also had offers from Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Florida State, and Michigan. A Pennsylvania native, he was set to continue a long line of great Penn State running backs.
Fawcett also reported on the decommitment of 2026 WR Lavar Keys. The Maryland native told Fawcett Sunday that after Franklin’s firing, his “recruitment is 100% back open.”
BREAKING: Class of 2026 WR Lavar Keys has Decommitted from Penn State, he tells me for @rivals
The 5’11 175 WR from Landover, MD had been Committed to the Nittany Lions since August 2024
He holds a total of 18 Offers
“My recruitment is 100% back open” https://t.co/QaWkEpCKcV pic.twitter.com/uebMRRx0Fp
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) October 12, 2025
Keys holds offers from Maryland, Virginia Tech, East Carolina, and Boston College.
MORE READING: 5 Candidates to Replace James Franklin After Penn State Fires Head Coach After Northwestern Loss
On defense, the Nittany Lions will be losing a four-star 2026 linebacker recruit, Gabriel Jenkins. Per Rivals, he is the 13th-best linebacker in his class.
BREAKING: Four-Star LB Gabriel Jenkins has Decommitted from Penn State
He’s ranked as the No. 13 LB in the 2027 Class (per Rivals Industry)https://t.co/az2d3Khl7d pic.twitter.com/BsAZDIG8CH
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) October 12, 2025
Jenkins, who plays prep football for Imani Christian Academy in Pittsburgh, also has offers from his hometown Pittsburgh Panthers, West Virginia, UCF, and Michigan State.
Another notable loss for Penn State was 2027 offensive tackle Layton Von Brandt, who stands at 6’6″and 270 pounds.
BREAKING: Elite 2027 OT Layton Von Brandt has Decommitted from Penn State, he tells me for @rivals
The 6’6 270 OT is ranked as the No. 28 Recruit in the 2027 Class (per Rivals)https://t.co/nahnWxww3a pic.twitter.com/bJF44tHFbq
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) October 12, 2025
Hailing from Delaware, Von Brandt ranked No. 28, according to Rivals, and has offers from Rutgers, West Virginia, Georgia, and Syracuse.
While these four recruits aren’t the only shying away from Penn State after Franklin’s firing, they are some of the most impactful. As the Nittany Lions continue fighting through 2025, their future recruiting classes will go through big transformations. Once they finally find their coach of the future, they should finally get some recruiting stability.
